This invention relates to apparatus and methods for storing, displaying and feeding product at points of sale and points of use.
Shelf space is premium real estate in retail stores and supermarkets and other points of sale and points of use. As a result, skilled artisans have devoted considerable attention toward systems for holding product and feeding it forwardly to a point where it is highly visible and accessible to customers. Existing systems are efficient and usually incorporate interconnected tracks or trays that are capable of holding and feeding product forwardly. However, many stores regularly change their shelving configurations in order to add or delete products depending on demand or need. The tracks of existing systems are designed and sized to accommodate a particular size of product. If the size of the product changes, existing tracks must be removed so they can be replaced with other appropriately sized tracks. Replacing tracks of existing systems is time consuming, labor intensive, difficult and, moreover, very frustrating.
Given these and other deficiencies in the art, there is a need for new and improved apparatus for holding and feeding product that is easy to make, easy to use, inexpensive, highly efficient and that incorporate tracks that are capable of being easily adjusted for accommodating product of varying size.
The above problems and others are at least partially solved and the above purposes and others realized in improved apparatus for holding and feeding product including a track having opposing ends and opposing sides. An abutment disposed adjacent one of the ends of the track and a paddle is mounted to the track between the sides for reciprocal movement in opposition to the abutment. The paddle is biased toward the abutment. A first sidewall is positioned adjacent one of the sides of the track. An engagement element is attached to a second sidewall, and rows of detachably engagable complemental engagement elements are disposed longitudinally of the track adjacent the other of the sides of the track. The rows are very important because they provide points of engagement for engagement element of the second sidewall both toward and away from the paddle and, moreover, the first sidewall. The engagement element is a tongue and the rows of detachably engagable complemental engagement elements are rows of detachably engagable grooves. In another embodiment, the engagement is a groove the rows of detachably engagable complemental engagement elements are rows of detachably engagable tongues. The rows of detachably engagable complemental engagement elements disposed adjacent the other of the sides of the track are carried by the track. In another embodiment, the rows of detachably engagable complemental engagement elements disposed adjacent the other of the sides of the track are carried by a connector attached to the other of the sides of the track. In yet still another embodiment, the engagement element is further attached to a track that is capable of holding a row of product to be fed in a direction.
The invention also provides a product feeding assembly that includes a first track having a side and a second track having a side. The first and second tracks are each capable of holding a row of product to be fed in a direction. A longitudinal engagement element is attached to the side of the first track, and longitudinal rows of detachably engagable complemental engagement elements are attached adjacent the side of the second track. The longitudinal engagement element is a tongue the longitudinal rows of detachably engagable complemental engagement elements are rows of detachably engagable grooves. In another embodiment, the longitudinal engagement element is a groove and the longitudinal rows of detachably engagable complemental engagement elements are rows of detachably engagable tongues. The longitudinal rows of detachably engagable complemental engagement attached adjacent the side of the second track are carried by the second track. In another embodiment, the longitudinal rows of detachably engagable complemental engagement attached adjacent the side of the second track are carried by a connector attached to the side of the second track.
In a first track that is capable of holding a row of product to be fed in a direction and that has a side having an attached engagement element, the invention also provides a second track that is capable of holding a row of product to be fed in a direction and rows of detachably engagable complemental engagement elements attached adjacent a side of the second track. Where the engagement element is a tongue, the rows of detachably engagable complemental engagement elements are rows of detachably engagable grooves. Where the engagement element is a groove, the rows of detachably engagable complemental engagement elements are rows of detachably engagable tongues. The rows of detachably engagable complemental engagement elements attached adjacent the side of the second track are carried by the second track. In another embodiment, the rows of detachably engagable complemental engagement attached adjacent the side of the second track are carried by a connector attached to the side of the second track.
Consistent with the foregoing, the invention also contemplates associated methods.